File under "you really can't make this shit up".
The big story in the UK Sunday papers this morning is an attack by British PM Tony Blair on the BBC's coverage of the New Orleans hurricane aftermath - and can you guess who he made these comments to?
That's right Rupert Murdoch!
Blair attacks BBC for 'anti-US bias'
"Murdoch, a long-standing critic of the BBC, was addressing the Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York. Chuckling, he said: 'I probably shouldn't be telling you this' before recounting a recent conversation with Blair. He said the Prime Minister was in New Delhi when he criticised BBC coverage of the catastrophe in New Orleans: 'He said it was just full of hatred of America and gloating at our troubles.'"
You know the word that stands out to me here is "chuckling".
However many people are quickly rising to the defence and I think Blair has made a massive mistake both in the manner and content of his remarks. Here's what a BBC veteran reporter of the "old school" had to say:
"Charles Wheeler, the veteran former US correspondent for the BBC, said: 'I don't believe Murdoch actually said that. It doesn't sound like Blair to me. The coverage I saw was extremely good and got better and better. Matt Frei was very good. He got quite angry, which is what might have annoyed people.
'I don't see why people should be unemotional; I never was. You have to tell people what you feel and what you hate - that's part of legitimate reporting."
Frei did some standout reporting from the drowned city, he and his crew rescuing several trapped folk from houses, handing out water and supplies to those who needed them and confronting officials who were doing nothing about the corpses on the street.
"Why haven't you moved that body? I seen it there fro the past five days" was just one memorable but sadly all too common quote that sprang to mind.
And for all that he gets stabbed in the back by Tony Blair who cannot resist sucking up to Rupert Murdoch!